"Whew, I''m tired."


    Thank you.


    When Roland finishes his interview for the day and takes a break, a staff member sent by Lillianne gives him a hard time.


    Not only did she provide the funds and work to start up the guild, but she even sent a staff member to assist with miscellaneous tasks.


    I''m sure you must be exhausted," she said. You must be exhausted, interviewing 20 people in just one morning.


    Yes," he said. But I have to see it with my own eyes to ''appraise'' it. It can''t be helped."


    But why go to such lengths to have it appraised by Mr. Roland? Why not just have them self-report their current skills and narrow down the list of interviewees?"


    No," he said. Current skills alone don''t tell you about future growth potential and room for growth. In the long run, it is better to hire a person with his or her future potential in mind.


    I''m not sure I''d like that. Is that how it is?


    Well, I guess I''d better get going for my afternoon interview."


    Roland looks at the list of interviewees'' skills that he has recorded.


    (After all, Aryeh''s "Ore Refining" is the only talent above Skill A?)


    Roland looked at the note again, Aryeh "Ore Refining": E to A.


    The manufacture of "Earthcraft" ordered by Lilianne can be managed with the skill "Ore Refining A".


    Next week, the ore for "Earthcraft" should be brought to the old studio he bought as a base.


    (By then, I will get Aryeh''s "Ore Refining" as close to "A" as possible.)


    Aryeh came to her first job at the guild "Arsenal of Spirits" with a feeling of joy and sorrow.


    (It''s good that she passed the interview, but from the looks of it, she''ll probably be forced to do "ore refining.)


    Aryeh''s mind replayed bitter memories of her previous workplace.


    （I really want to be in charge of goldsmithing. (It''s true that my goldsmithing skills aren''t great, but if you''re talking about that, I''m not so sure about ore refining (......)).


    She was also in charge of "ore refining" at the alchemy workshop (atelier) where she was hired before, but was soon fired.


    (I wonder if she will be fired soon here too. Ahhhh...)


    Aryeh couldn''t help but feel disheartened when she thought about it.


    When Aryeh came to the front of the guild''s studio, Roland was cleaning in front of the door.


    Good morning," Roland said. Good morning, Mr. Aryeh.


    Oh, good morning."


    Aryeh said with as much energy as she could muster.


    I''m the head of a guild," she said, thinking in a corner of her mind that it was odd for her to be cleaning.


    Well then, I''ll have you do the ''ore refining'' right away."


    (Ugh. I knew it was "ore refining.)


    She enters the refining room, almost crushed with anxiety.


    The truth is, we still haven''t received the materials from the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. I think they will arrive next week. So for now, I''m going to have them start with iron refining for practice.


    Aryeh was relieved to hear that there would be a practice period.


    At least I''ll get paid here until next week, I thought.


    ''Well then, let''s get started. This is where you''ll be working."


    Roland led Aryeh to the kettle room.


    The room, surrounded by brick walls, was already prepared for refining.


    The kettles were ready to be fired, coal was ready, and iron ore was laid out on a table.


    ''You know all the basic smelting methods, don''t you?　Well, then, get on with it."


    Aryeh gulps and nervously arranges the iron ore on a tray.


    It had been a long time since she had done "ore refining.


    Would he be able to do it well?


    Aryeh placed the tray of 10 ores in the cauldron, covered it with a lid, filled it with coal, and cast a fire magic spell.


    Above the door of the cauldron is a small window to look inside.


    Through this small opening, he must keep track of the ore inside and adjust the amount of fire magic.


    Aryeh watched the ore turn red in the cauldron, feeling on edge.


    When the smelter judged that the ore was just right, it was taken out and beaten with a hammer.


    There, all impurities are scraped off to make pure metal from the ore.


    The inexperienced Aryeh, relying on his own intuition, takes out the reddish ore and taps it with a hammer.


    The iron that has been refined is submitted to the head of the guild.


    The results of Aryeh''s refining were disappointing.


    9 pieces of iron E


    1 iron D


    Iron E was unusable scrap iron.


    Iron D was barely usable, but it was still an inferior product.


    (Huh. I told you so.)


    Aryeh nodded disappointedly, expecting to be offended.


    But what came back was a surprising response.


    That''s great, isn''t it? "That''s great, Aryeh. I can''t believe you got an iron D on the first try.


    Roland said with a twinkle in his eye.


    Huh?


    I can''t believe you can already refine iron D, even though your skill in ''ore refining'' is still E." I knew you had talent.


    "Ha, ha."


    Aryeh could only reply vaguely, unable to keep up with Roland''s tension.


    Then, let''s move on.


    I''m sorry, but I can''t. Well, I''ll put this piece of scrap iron away and then I''ll go to ......."


    I don''t care about that," he said. You just keep on with the ''ore refining''. I''ll take care of the cleanup.


    What?　Yes, sir.


    After that, Roland let Aryeh continue the "ore refining" work.


    Roland organized and cleaned up the iron that had been finished and had her do as much of the "ore refining" work as possible.


    In no time at all, the many iron ores on the shelves were disappearing and turning to scrap iron.


    Despite this, Roland continued to have her work.


    She would try to take care of the chores, but Roland never let her do it, and did all the little things for her.


    While she stuck to the kettle, Roland would prepare the next ore on the desk or bring it from the warehouse, clean the room, and take care of the tools.


    This allowed Aryeh to concentrate on the task of keeping an eye on the kettle.


    It was like being treated like a first-class craftsman.


    (Ko, we''ve wasted such a large amount of ore. Are you sure you can handle it?)


    Aryeh continued to make it, feeling uneasy.


    In the end, she consumed 30 pieces of iron ore that day and was only able to make 3 pieces of iron D.


    The next day, the same thing continued.


    Eventually, she began to recognize the subtle changes in the color of the ore burning in the cauldron.


    (I think I''m starting to get it, ......?)


    She came to recognize the subtle shades of red in iron.


    She has grown accustomed to Roland taking over chores.


    At first, Aryeh was concerned about the hierarchical relationship, but Roland treats her like a skilled craftsman so naturally that she no longer cares.


    Next, she began to concentrate on her work.


    When the fifth "refining" session was over, she no longer saw Roland''s complexion.


    And when she reached the tenth "refining" session, she was finally able to refine 9 pieces of iron D and 1 piece of iron C.


    (Yay, I did it!)


    Aryeh was relieved.


    Iron C would somehow become a saleable commodity.


    It was a passable line for a new alchemist.


    For the time being, she would be able to make it work here.


    I did it. "I did it, Mr. Roland. I was able to make iron C."


    Aryeh reported to Roland with a completely relieved look on her face.


    However, the answer he received was unexpected.


    This is no good at all.


    Roland threw the iron C into the trash.


    He said, "Huh, huh?"


    You should at least have all of your ore turned into Iron A."


    Te, iron A......"


    Aryeh pales again.


    How can you call everything iron A?


    Is there an alchemist in this town who can do such a thing?


    After that, Roland continued to give Aryeh first-class treatment and first-class pressure.


    Of course, Aryeh only did "ore refining.


    He was never allowed to do anything else.


    (I''ve never worked in a place where I was forced to do nothing but "ore refining" so much.)


    Already an unbelievable amount of ore had been consumed for one new alchemist to spend.


    (Spend time and money on one skill at a time. I can''t believe I wasted so much ore. This is the kind of thing I''d do unless I''m sure I have the "Ore Refining A" talent. ...... Are you serious?)


    Aryeh continues to pour iron into the cauldron with a single-minded determination to live up to Roland''s expectations.


    It has been a week now.


    （And it was done. It''s done.)


    Aryeh looks at the iron on the tray in a daze.


    The luster of the surface, the color and gloss.


    You can tell just by looking at the surface.


    It was unmistakably only the finest iron.


    There were 10 pieces of iron A on the tray.


    Good. You did a good job. Aryeh.


    Yes, sir." Thank you."


    Aryeh was relieved to finally receive the praise, even though she was half crying.


    Then it''s finally time for you to fulfill the request from the "Keeper of the Magic Tree. For now, it''s 100 ''earthcrafts'' in a month."


    Aryeh almost fainted.


    Earthcraft" was a much more difficult metal to refine than iron.